Iddo Goldberg Heats Up the Screen in ‘Last Passenger’

Iddo Goldberg (“Mob City”) stars in “Last Passenger,” which opens on April 25. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a runaway train movie, but this indie film has an original setup and keeps the energy and suspense going. The nail-biter is a character-driven story with a strong cast that includes Dougray Scott, Kara Tointon, David Schofield and Lindsay Duncan with child actor Joshua Kaynama. The director and co-writer is Omid Nooshin.

Goldberg has been married to actress Ashley Madekwe (“Revenge”) since 2012. He was born in Haifa, Israel, then moved to London at age 10. His dark hair, olive skin and chiseled cheekbones make him one of the best-looking actors you’ll ever see. His shows like “Mob City” and the BBC’s “Peaky Blinders” have been successful, and now he’s in a brand-new show. His films include “And While We Were Here” with Kate Bosworth and “Defiance” with Liev Schreiber and Daniel Craig. In “Last Passenger,” the entire film takes place on a speeding, out-of-control train. I caught up with Goldberg on Monday, April 21 to talk about movies, TV, his love life and his lovely wife.

Dorri Olds: Was it claustrophobic to work in such a confined space for the film?

Iddo Goldberg: Oh my god, yeah, it was. To begin with, we found it kind of interesting, but then some people got heated.

Did the actors get on each other’s nerves?

It’s surprising that we didn’t, but it was a really good cast and there weren’t any arguments. It was mostly the crew that got a little heated.

Had you seen the movie “Speed” or “The Taking of Pelham 123”?

Yes, of course. “Pelham” is obviously a classic and I love almost every film with Denzel Washington. He’s amazing. He was also in the remake of “Runaway Train” with Chris Pine called “Unstoppable.” “Last Passenger” is quite different. For one thing it happens over a very short period of time and the whole film is very dark, almost black.

How do you think you and your wife would react to such a terrifying scenario?

I don’t think we’d be hysterical, but I do find it hard to connect at the moment when something really awful is happening. It’s like I become not present. But my wife is cool as a cucumber. She keeps the calm for both of us.

How did you and your wife meet?

We met on a play eight years ago, then we were both on “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” on Showtime. Now we’re working on “Salem” together. It’s amazing. We’re in Vienna, which is quite different than what we’re used to in L.A.

Did you have a romantic courtship?

Yes, I was pretty romantic. I did my best. [Smiles]

What’s the difference between working on TV versus movies?

“Last Passenger” was every day from the crack of dawn till late hours and it was all on the train. That was intense. Doing guest spots on TV is such a luxury. It’s kind of like you work at home. I was shooting scenes for “Mob City” and it was only a five-minute drive from my house. Doing TV is like you’re a football player sitting on the bench. You watch the game in front of you to see what’s going on and then you jump in. This energy builds up and it’s fantastic.

Tell me about your new show, “Salem.”

It’s a supernatural take on the witch trials in Massachusetts. It’s also about the supernatural and things are not what they appear. It’s macabre and about fear. You should check it out.

You are incredibly handsome. Do women throw themselves at you?

[Laughs] Not really, but you get really weird things on Twitter. Right around our premiere we had some kind of crazy fan writing on Twitter saying, “Please notice me.” We all found that very strange.

When you play a dark character in a stressful situation, do you find it hard to get back to feeling like yourself?

I can feel emotionally drained after filming but it’s like I just feel tired, really zapped. I don’t think I walk around going, “Oh, I’m in such a dark place, don’t talk to me.” [Laughs]

Do you read your reviews and interviews?

I like to read interviews, but reviews are what you need to stay away from. [Laughs]